Ilia Rodov

- Born in Bobruisk, Belorussia, into a family, several generations of which were painters; grew up in the prevailingly Jewish, Yiddish-speaking neighborhood; during the school years in Bobruisk and youth in St Petersburg (then Leningrad) was increasingly involved into underground and semi-legal Jewish national and Zionist activities; - At the decline of the Soviet regime in 1988, was one of the organizers and the president of the Jewish community of Bobruisk; in 1991, immigrated to Israel and settled in Alon Shvut, then moved to Jerusalem and Mazkeret Batia.

Ilia Rodov is Professor at the Department of Jewish Art, Bar-Ilan University. He is the editor of Ars Judaica: Bar Ilan Journal of Jewish Art and co-editor of Jews, Judaism, and the Arts book series (Brill). His publications explore Jewish visual culture and synagogue art, focusing on the history, patronage, meanings, function and perceptions of paintings, sculptures, architectural decoration, and furniture design.